NASA plans to land humans on the moon through the Artemis program in 2024. Commercial companies are developing new technologies and look forward to NASA's help. NASA has selected a number of U.S. companies and established partnerships to advance the industry's space technology and help maintain the United States' leadership in space.
The NASA Center will work with these companies to provide expertise, facilities, hardware and software for free. These partnerships will advance the commercial space sector and help bring new capabilities to the market. These companies were selected through NASA's Collaboration Opportunity Announcement (ACO) issued in October 2018 and cover the following technology focus areas.
Advanced communications, navigation and avionics
Advanced Space will cooperate with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to advance the development of lunar navigation technology.
Vulcan Wireless will also work with Goddard to test the "CubeSatellite" radio repeater and its compatibility with NASA's space network.
Advanced materials
Boston Aerogel Technology will work with NASA's Glenn Research Center to improve the performance of flexible aerogels for rocket fairings and other aerospace applications.
Lockheed Martin will work with NASA's Langley Research Center to test materials made of metal powder using solid-state processing technology to improve the design of spacecraft operating in high-temperature environments.
Spirit AeroSystem will work with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center to improve the durability of low-cost reusable rockets.
Entry, descent and landing
Bally Ribbon Mills will perform thermal testing at the Arc Jet Complex at NASA's Ames Research Center. The facility will be used to test new seamless fabrics for carbon fiber fabric insulation.
Blue Origin will work with NASA's Johnson Space Center to advance the maturation of navigation and guidance systems, allowing the aircraft to land safely and accurately at various locations on the moon.
Sierra Nevada will work with NASA on two entry, descent and landing projects. The company will work with Langley to capture infrared images of their Dream Chaser spacecraft.
SpaceX will work with NASA's Kennedy Space Center to advance their technology to land large rockets vertically on the moon.
power
Blue Origin will work with Glenn and Johnson to advance the company's Blue Moon lander fuel cell power system.
Maxar will use Glenn and Marshall's facilities to simulate space environments to test lightweight solar cells for flexible solar panels.
Advance
Aererojet Rocketdyne and Marshall will use innovative processes and materials to design and manufacture light rocket engine combustion chambers.
SpaceX will work with Glenn and Marshall to advance the technology needed for orbital transfer propellants.
Other exploration techniques
Lockheed Martin will work with the Kennedy Space Center to test the technology and operation of autonomous space plant growth systems.